Wildfires in Arizona and Utah Are Spawning ‘Fire Clouds’ Making Fighting Them Impossible
Two massive wildfires burning in Arizona and Utah are doing more than scorching the landscape. They’re generating towering “fire clouds” that make firefighting nearly impossible.
When Wildfires Create Their Own Climate
These towering pyrocumulus clouds, formed when superheated air from the fires rises and condenses with moisture, have been spotted over Arizona’s Dragon Bravo Fire for more than a week, according to CBS News. The Grand Canyon Lodge has already been destroyed as the fire ballooned into a megafire, charring over 164 square miles and forcing the North Rim to close for the season.
Utah isn’t faring much better. The Monroe Canyon Fire has torched 75 square miles and prompted evacuation orders across several towns. The flames are so intense they’ve generated pyrocumulonimbus clouds—fire-fueled thunderstorms capable of unleashing fierce downdrafts, rapid wind shifts, and even fire tornadoes.
The Dangerous Power of ‘Fire Clouds’
These fire-induced weather systems aren’t just a visual spectacle. “If they get high enough, they can create downdrafts that spread fires rapidly and unpredictably,” said fire information officer Lisa Jennings, according to AP News. Multiple firefighting teams in Utah were forced to retreat as these erratic winds made holding fire lines impossible.
NASA has dubbed these cloud formations “the fire-breathing dragons of the atmosphere” for good reason. A recent pyrocumulonimbus event in Utah spawned a fire tornado with winds estimated at 122 mph, leveling everything in its path.
A Worsening Trend With No End in Sight
While pyrocumulus clouds aren’t new, their frequency and intensity are increasing. “You get this towering thunderstorm over the fire, and just like any other thunderstorm it gets really windy underneath it. Because it’s the West, these thunderstorms tend to be very dry,” said atmospheric scientist Derek Mallia. He warned that as climate change extends fire seasons and intensifies drought, these self-sustaining fire storms could become a regular feature of western wildfires.
With humidity levels in the single digits and wind gusts nearing 35 mph, firefighters are facing uphill battles on multiple fronts. And when ‘fire clouds’ take over, their only option is to stand down until conditions stabilize—if they do at all.
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